The idiom "toss a wrench into" means to disrupt or interfere with a plan or situation. It comes from the idea of someone throwing a wrench into a machine, which would cause it to stop working.
For example, if a group of friends are planning a weekend trip, but one person suddenly says they can't go, they might say "Well, that really tossed a wrench into our plans." This means that the change in plans has disrupted the original plan and made it difficult to continue with the same plan.
Another example could be in a business meeting, where someone proposes a new idea, but another person points out a flaw in the plan. They might say "I hate to toss a wrench into this, but have you considered the potential risks involved?" This means that they are pointing out a potential problem that could disrupt the plan.
Overall, "toss a wrench into" is used to describe a situation where something unexpected happens that causes problems or changes the original plan.
• The government's unexpected policy change has tossed a wrench into the economy.
• The company's decision to lay off half of its employees really tossed a wrench into their livelihoods.
• The sudden rainstorm really tossed a wrench into our plans for a picnic.
• I accidentally tossed a wrench into the garbage can.
• Her unexpected resignation has tossed a wrench into the board's succession plans.
• The discovery of a major security breach has tossed a wrench into the company's plans for expansion.